automatic income tax hike on most americans looks close. >> as steve handelsman reports, only half of the deal is done. it could be scuttled all together by the half that's not done. >> surrounding himself with middle-class americans whose taxes would rise at midnight, president obama announced a possible deal. >> it appears that an agreement to prevent this new year's tax hike is within sight, but it's not done. >> reporter: sources say taxes would rise on income over four to five hundred,000, which the president sees as a big win for him. >> keep in mind just last month republicans in congress said they would never agree to raise tax rates on the wealthiest of americans. obviously the agreement currently being discussed would raise the rates and raise them permanently. >> in democrats are not applauding. they taye the president promised

tax hikes bon 250,000. >> i think that's grossly unfair. >> reporter: senate republican lead egg mitch mcconnell made the tax deal with vice president joe biden. >> let's pass the tax relief portion now. >> reporter: a hang upis automatic defense and other spending cuts that kick in at midnight. democrats want a two-year postponementment. the cost covered by the new tax hikes. the president scoffed at republican demands for deeper spending cuts. >> shove only spending cuts down, you know -- well, shove spending -- shove spending cuts at us. >> reporter: so much for winning gop allies. >> laughs and jokes and ridicules republicans. why? >> reporter: another question -- will speaker john boehner permit a house vote to hike taxes? if most of his reps will vote

no. whatever happens before midnight or doesn't happen. this partisan war on taxes and spending is sure to continue into 2013. i'm steve handelsman, news4, capitol hill. many investors are known for their averse to uncertainty. wall street is closely watching developments on capitol hill. brian sullivan is the coanchor of "streets signs" on cnbc and he's joining us with the latest. hi, brian. >> how are you doing? >> how are protracted negotiations affecting the markets so far? >> it is markets are closing out the year with a high note however, just moments ago cnbc report john harwood at the white house said his sources tell him there will be no vote tonight. so even if we get a deal, it looks like the deal will not be made before the new year, so technically we are going to go over the fiscal cliff, but if we

get a deal in the next couple days, everything could be made retroactive. they remayes optimistic a deal will be reached. indeed dow jones industrial average going up 168 points. >> we haven't seen them panicking so far. >> not yet, but last friday there was concern we would not get a deal and we saw the market sell off, and then the futures, which indicate where we'll open the next trading session, they completely collapsed. they have come back on an optimism we will get a deal, but listen, there's still a lot of sticking point. the number of deductions people may raise. the republicans want to cut spending. nothing is worked out yet, but the market does remain hopeful. >> market closed for the last time of the year. can you give us a picture of the year as a whole on wall street? >> the year was pretty good, to be honest. the dow jones industrial average making solid gains, but the s&p 500, a broader induction, that's

up double digits. the nasdaq was the big winner. for your viewers they're going to go and empty out their 401(k) programs and look at the envelopes and say, hey, not a bad year for the equity markets as a matter of fact. i know the stock market has been a source of disappointment for really the better part of ten years, but this year not too bad. if if you had ridden it out, been disciplined put in the market, you're probably higher than where you began. i'm from winchester, virginia originally i'm a hokie, i know their -- my buddies are saying their things are a bit better off. >> that's what you're supposed to do on new year's eve. here's to a better hokie season than 6-6 next year. i had to get that in. sorry, jim. >> thank, brian. happy new year. >> happy new year. police are on the scene of a

serious crash involving one of their own officers. news4's keith russell is at the live desk as more details are coming in. >> pat, a prince william county motorcycle officer is in serious condition after colliding with a minivan late this afternoon. the vehicles caught fire. we do not know whether the people inside the van were hurt. the lanes are closed in all directions at the scene. investigators are still working to find out what caused the crash. we have a news4 crew on the way. we'll have a live report at 5:00. jim, pat, back to you. >> thanks, keith. new year's preparations under way in new york city. right now a live look at times square, where crews are getting geared up for the midnight ball to drop. back here at home, there's already some celebrating going on. news4's tony tull has a look at what's happening at first night in old town alexandria. >> reporter: it was a quiet more here in old town alexandria, but

the sign in this bookstore displays a subtle clue. over 100 performances at over 21 local spots, including live music and xhirn's activities, and for the finale, the return of fireworks, a surefire good time for folks celebrating the new year. >> going to a little party, but the redskins made my new year last night. >> reporter: our not. >> i have no being plans. >> reporter: anything you can think of will be most likely represented here, like here at hotel monaco. they'll be throw a '20s theme party, and you may want to come dressed up. >> 15% off, come dressed to celebrate, in a roars 20s theme. >> reporter: the hotel is fully booked as are many, but there are plenty of activities to partake in. afternoon activities go from 2:00 through 5:00. live performances 7:00 to 11:45. if you're looking for tickets, expect to spend about $20, but children under 12 are free as are active duty military.

what would it be -- >> a fresh year, a fresh start, so, you know, do better for myself this year than i did the year before. >> reporter: or not. >> no. no. i'm simple. through a few other places. there will also be fireworks in app. accomplice. metro is staying late to get you to and from festivities. it will be open until 2:00 a.m., two hours later than usual for a weeknight. another bit of good news, there's no track work today or tonight. local police are cracking down on drivers who decide to get behind the wheel after drinking too much tonight. in fairfax county, there has been a month-long crackdown on drive. police tell us more than 100

drivers have been arrested so far. the washington regional alcohol program says deaths spiked by 60% on new year's eve. it's offering free cab rights home up to $30. the last new year's eve nearly 400 people took vang of the songer ride program. a gray way to enof day, but nice look sunset. storm team 4 meteorologist doug kammerer is here to tell us what to expect. >> you know it will be on the cool side as we end 2012, heading into 2013. i think it should be dry for most of us, though they are seeing a few flurries, a sprinkle, even a report of

sleet. it does look lie the storm system is trying though move our way. we'll talk much more about it, but here's what to expect. maybe a sprinkle or flurry, but around midnight, 36 degrees as we usher in the new years, starting off on a very chilly note. we'll talk about some of the coldest air so far this season, plus chances for rain and snow. >> why are you hoarse, doug? a little scratchy throat there? ♪ hail to the redskins the redskins are the talk of the town. fans said they couldn't be happier. a lot of them were also excited that, with the win they dealt dallas another devastating loss ♪ hail to the redskins

♪ hail victory >> the playoffs! host seattle next sunday. loved it so much, rg3 the whole team, the offense, defense, special teams, everyone came to play. >> i talked to the tv first, and i said, if i stay up, you guys better win, and i stayed up the whole time. it was me! i helped them. i was the 12th man. >> i want the same thing to my tv. if i stay up, you guys better win. here's a fun stat. it's been more than 2500 days since the redskins have been in the playoffs. no wonder everyone is excited and doug is singing all over the newsroom. >> a lot of folks are saying it's about time. when news4 continues, kanye west makes a surprise announcement. kim kardashian, his girlfriend, is expecting. how the whole family responds. skyfall is a flash.

what record it broke over the weekend. and the latest on secretary of state hillary clinton's health. what doctors say

it's going to be the scene of celebration. one of the biggest entertainment stories of the year just broke in the past 24 hours. kim kardashian is expecting.

her music mogul boyfriend, kanye west, made the announcement at a consequen consequence. before a crowd of 5,000 at a concert in atlantic city, that girlfriend kim kardashian is pregnant with their first child. kim's sister chloe and kourtney took to twitter, while mom simply tweeted oh baby baby baby. jenner gushed over the future father of her soon to be grandchild. >> he's a great guy. he's really a great guy, and i think they're well suited for

each other. they definitely are happy. >> the rapper and reality start went public with their romance in march, quickly becomes one of the hollywood's most high-parol file couple. >> that's a not so subtle reference to the sex tape that helped rocket kardashian to fame, but since then, she has reached superstar heights. millions tune in every week to see her family's exploits on "keeping up with the kardashians" and it's various spin-offs. and her 2011 wedding to nba star kris humphries became a multinight event on the e channel. west wrote about that in another song. ♪ i fell in love with kim ♪ around the same time she fell in love with hem ♪ ♪ the divorce proceedings have dragged on for more than a year.

since linking up, kim-ye is rarely seen apart. more than two months after the premier here, the latest movie is shaking, not stirring things up. "skyfall" passed the $1 billion mark. it's also the highest earning movie for its distributor, sony pictures. it seems other action here ooh flicks were huge hits. "the avengers" and "the dark knight rises" also passed the $1 billion mark. tired of hear the same old phrases. there's a banished words list for 2013. laker superior state university compiled the list. the top word right there on your screen -- fiscal cliff won the most nomination. also, kick the can down the

road --. 6. lowly here at the end of the year. by tomorrow -- >> like that. the other word they say is now overused. we used it one time on the air. kim-ye. we will never say that again. >> our lips are sealed. >> how about "snow"? >> i would love to say that. >> freezing. >> you don't like that at all. >> but as far as rain or snow goes, not a lot of chances, though you may see a couple

flurries or sprinkles. right now you can see plenty of cloud cover. they've been here just about all day long. not too bad. once again, average high temperatures this time of year low 40s. that's exactly where we are, currently sitting at 40 degrees at the airport. winds out of the southwest at 8 miles an hour, it does give us a windchill of 33 degrees. so, yeah, it's on the cool side. that's what we expect. as we make our way from december into january. as far as what we'll be seeing, we are talking about that cool air. mae some of verification of some sleet, some light flurries, some pringle activity. but that's it. this is all very, very light. most of this not even hitting the ground. the atmosphere is very, very

dry. that's why this is not going to cause a lot of problems. this is a very hefty storm. it looks like a lot of moisture, but it does not have a lot of moisture as it moves our way. wen again maybe a don't expect much. future weather tells the story pretty well. cool temperatures here ahead of this frontal boundary. watch as this precipitation moves in. it just completely falls apart. you do have a better chance for shower, sprinkle or flurry. southern maryland, you folks do have a better chance of seeing that tomorrow, but the rest of us staying on the dry side. we'll stay on the cool side. but then on wednesday, the cold air moves in, and so do the breezy conditions. wednesday could be the coldest day. highs only in the low to mid 30s in most areas in the upper 30s right around the d.c. metro area. not frigid, but it is going to be quite chilly. cloudy and cool looking good

tonight. temperatures 32 to 37. once again flurry, maybe a sprinkle, but it should not impact your plans as you're heading out. your new year's eve forecasts, wherever it is. temperatures around 34 around midnight, cloudy and cool. as i mentioned looking good, so it should be okay. tomorrow cloudy seasonably mild, happy new year. when i say seasonably mild 31 to 34 is well above average. highs tomorrow only in the 40s. 38 on wednesday. 40 on thursday, 39 on friday the first week the 2013. it's cold the first weekend, though, looks nice, so that's pretty good. that's really good, actually. add the redskins play here, too. >> yeah, there's that. coming up on news4, what to wear to ring in the new year. stylists will show us some of the hottest fashions. new laws in the new year.

some same-sex couples in maryland are spe

getting all dolled up for

the celebration can add up. mike wilbur has expert tips to get that look without breaking the bank. >> reporter: no matters how you're planning to ring in the new year, you want your clothes to shine. >> that's probably the biggest night of the year in terms of going out. you want to make sure all eyes are on you. it's about sequins, metallics and sparkle. >> reporter: she's showing us three looks. >> everybody loves a skirt and dress, but pants have been the biggest trend in fashion this year. >> reporter: this pants by h avmt m will a hint of metal. >> this top is also from h & m. al jeweled heels from the e-life for the red carpet. >> raquel is wearing the fun

flirty girls' look. this is for a romantic date. >> darker at the top and fates to this gun metal gray color. it's under $09. most of the outfit is black and white, neutral tone, so the pop of emreal green is beautiful, and draws attention to her gorgeous face. >> reporter: at the hotel downtown, our final model is ready to a black-time event. the best part is this is under $200. >> reporter: from bloomingdale's the sequinned dress is paired with a faux fur vest. >> you can totally repurr this piece after new year's. >> reporter: mike wilbur, nbc news. a lot of people around here are wearing burgundy and gold. the redskins are headed to the playoffs. they beat the cowboys at home in

a do-or-die matchup. dan hellie las mar. out here in chris cooley's house, where he is one happy man, getting ready to go out on new year's eve, getting ready to party like it's 1999, because the of course now they are prepares to the seahawks, possibly the best wildcard team in football. chris cooley told me earlier that he doesn't want to lose to the seahawks again, because the two times previous, they have played the seahawks and lost to the seahawks. right now seattle 2 1/2 point favorites over the redskins. that game at 4:30 on sunday at feddics field, also their first home playoff game since 1999. the skins expected to get some help in the secondary on defense, as cedric griffin is coming back from that drug suspension. so he's a corner back that was playing well when he left.

mike shanahan said he would wait and see what kind of shab he's in before he decides to activate him on the roster. so the skins off today, off tomorrow, and then they get back to work as they prepare for the seattle seahawks, a first-round playoff game at fedex field, they've got going from 3-6 to 10-6. they are riding a seven-game winning streak, dare i say your washington redskins, the hottest team in football. up at 5:00 and 6:00, the cooley report. and more skins news. a washington redskins cheerleaders gets the surprise of her life before one of the biggest games. her boyfriend got down on one knee and yes, popped the question just a short time before kickoff yesterday. he's a green beret in the army. the couple met when the cheerleaders went on a tour to visit troops. i assume she said yes.

>> we assume so. still to come on "news4 at 4:00" big preparations. we'll get an update on what is new this year. also, secretary of state hillary clinton still in the hospital. how doctors caught a serious

welcome back. >> right now breaking news. the house will not vote today on the deal to avoid the fits cal cliff. president obama and top senate republicans say a deal is very close, but it's not done yesterday. it remained unclear whether the senate will vote today. congress could pass it red rho actively. breaking news in prince william county. we have just learned a county police officer died following in fiery crash at the intersays of nobodiesville road and piper lane. officer chris young was riding on a motorcycle at the time. you can see the van was the other vehicle. we're still gathering information about this accident. we'll bring you more throughout the evening. it's been a cold new year's eve so far today. doug kammerer has the forecast for us. >> things looking okay out there. look for a sprinkle, maybe a

flurry, but don't expect it to impact your plans. take a look, and the cloud cover continues to make a way in. you can see a lot of what looks like rain and snow back toward the west, but most of this not reaching the ground. the atmosphere just a little too dry. as i mentioned, maybe a sprinkle or flurry. later on, i'll update the exact midnight temperatures. many of those locations all looking pretty good. i'll talk about that coming up, plus how cold will we start off 2013. about a million people expected to jam to watch the crystal ball drop. right now people are already starting to gather for the annual new year's eve countdown. jay gray has been following the preparation. he has the latest. >> 3, 2, 1 -- happy new year!

>> reporter: the confetti has been tested. the number in the crystal ball have been hoisted. couples have even practiced their midnight kisses. time squares has waited 364 days for this while some of the hundreds of thousands that will pack this glowing patch of manhattan have wait add lifetime. >> it's magic. >> it is the biggest new year's eve party on the planet. an army of police officers want to make sure it's the safest. we use our helicopters in the air, observation posts, we have chemical, radiological detectors that are deployed. we deploy our mounted unit. we have officers on scooters. so it is a major commitment on the part of the department. >> reporter: and the major pilgrimage for partiers from across the globe. >> it's on my bucket list. take it off the list quickly.

>> reporter: for 40 years dib clark was the master of ceremonies sharing new year's from times square with the world. the eischen is gone now, but listen honorsed tonight with a specially engraved panel on the ball that drops admit night. >> i know he would be most appreciative of this and never expect the panel to be in the ball. so he'll be a part of the celebration again. it's really amazing. >> reporter: part of what promises to be an amazing start to 2013. jay gray, nbc news, times square. outgoing secretary of state hillary clinton is spending new year's eve in the hospital in new york. doctors caught a serious problem yet during a checkup. as chris clacken report, it comes in the wake of a

concussion she suffered here. >> reporter: they do say given what hillary clinton has been through, it's understandable. in early december, clinton picked up a stomach virus causing dehydration that led to a fall, concussion and now the potentially dangerous clot. >> generally we're talking about deep vein thrombosis, usually in the legs. the fear is part of that will break off and travel to the lungs, which is a very serious and potentially fatal condition. >> reporter: over the last four years clinton has logged more than a million miles flying around the world, which doctors say could have contributed to her dvt. while today contributor dr. rashini raj says the next few days will tell us a lot about how serious it is. >> if it's really she is just at the hospital to adjust the dose of the medication, i don't think we need to be concerned about long-term consequences. >> reporter: however, a longer stay, she says might affect

clinton's long-term plans that might include another presidential run in 2016. >> we obviously disagree. >> this all happens as clinton prepares to leave her job as secretary of state, and gallup's list of most admired women at the word has her at the top for the 11th year in a row. police in fair tax county have released the name of the man killed in an early-morning crash. police say 27-year-old george tayebash died after the pickup he was driving collided with a tractor trailer just better 2:00 morning. he rear-ended a tractor trailer. the pickup truck burt into flames and police say he died at the scene form the driver of the tractor trailer was not hurt. in maryland the countdown to new year's is a countdown to marriage for some cup. >> caller:s. maryland, maine and washington

became the first states to le l legalize gale marriage this year. more will be coming up in our 5:00 hour. there is more to come on news4 at 4:00. the holiday season is coming to an end. that means getting back to work. a happiness expert shows us the best ways, at least one of them, to destress and keep the festive

technical issues there. we policy jews. a tough year for many in our country, and political corruption. >> here's a look back at some of the stop stories that made headlines over the past 12 months, beginning with the loss of joe paterno. >> reporter: after he lost his battle with cancer, his family released a statement saying he died as he lived. he fought hard until the end to stay positive, thought only of others, and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed hi life had been. >> we have an active shooter. >> the gunthoughts rang out before the first bell. five students gun down. tornado alley turned deadly. severe storms spawned dozens of

tornadoes from indiana to tennessee. the justice department acknowledged that investigators and agents with the fbi are looking into the death of 17-year-old tray von martin. >> we filed an information charging george zimmerman with murder in the second degree. >> a win for john edwards in the campaign corruption trial, the jury finding him not guilty of one charge and deadlocked on the ear five. just after midnight when the dark night quickly moved from fiction to reality. police say 24-year-old james holmes was wearing a gas mask when he burst through an exit door during the premiere of the movie "the dark knight." after a harrowing eight-point journey through space and nailbiter of a landing curiosity is already hard at

work, sending babb snapshots. all 114 cows in missouri have been declared disaster areas. 93% of the state is suffering through extreme drought conditions. minutes after being found guilty on 45 of 348 counts against him, former penn state assistant football coach jerry dan cuss can i was taken away in handcuffs. >> essentially the sentence jerry will receive will be a life sentence. >> gerry sandusky left the courthouse from a back door in cuffs and red-orange jump does that suit, showing little emotion after being sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison. at top speeds of just 2 miles an hour, officials navigated the 170,000-pound shuttle through the city, carefully avoiding trees, streetlights, eyen coming within inches of some building. hurricane sandy barreled into the northeast, technically

downgraded, but the storm delivering a ferocious blow. homes ripped from foundations, streets now resemble sand dunes. in seaside heights, pieces of the one popular fun town float in the ocean. reelected with more than 300 electoral votes and the majority of the popular vote, president obama headed back to the white house. it's a tragedy of inimaginable horror. more than a dozen elementary children brutally murdered by a gunman who walked into a school and opened fire. a couple of the biggest stories right there at the end of the year. >> yeah. it's been a chilly day, what is it going to be like when you head out to celebrate new year's tonight? >> we have a whole new year coming, guys, right around the corner, less than -- just over seven hours away.

i had to do the math. it won't take me as long in 2013. the forecast dinner's ready.

[ female announcer ] hamburger helper stroganoff. beefy. creamy. stroganoffy. helpers. forty dishes, all delicious. i just finished a bowl of your light chicken pot pie soup and it was so rich and creamy... is it really 100 calories? let me put you on webcan... lean roasted chicken... and a creamy broth mmm i can still see you. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. doug did the math for us. just under seven hours? >> just over. >> good place to be for about a million people tonight. >> have you guys done that? >> i've never been in times square. >> no?

>> not for new year's eve. i've been in times square, but not on new year's eve. >> same for me. >> if you like crowd, it's the place to be. >> you do it one time, and that's it. you don't have to do it again. but if you're thinking about going out to any of our festivities, i think tonight is looking good. exactly what you would expect for this time of year. temperatures on the cool side, you may seen see a flurry or sprinkle, but don't worry, it's not going to amount to much. even though the temperatures have been right around average today. 36 in leesburg, 36 cull puppers. notice southern maryland, have had a couple records of flurries, sprinkles, even a bit of sleet mixed in.

that will move off to the north and east. most of this not making its way to the ground, as we make our way through tonight, we have a lot of moisture back toward the west. most of this is in the upper levels of the atmosphere. at the surface, we are very, very dry. rather cool conditions across our region. shower chance and then behind it low to mid 20s. also on the cold side, temperatures below average. as we head into saturday and sunday, looking pretty good new year, guys looking chilly. >> a lot of folks feeling down, maybe in need of a boost? >> erica edwards spoke to a

happiness expert to help get us back on track in the new years. >> a whole lot of us have the case of the mondays. >> people are most stressed on mondays. >> a sorbologist at u.c. berkeley, dr. christine carter partnered with hampton hotels for a survey on when people are happiest and most stressed out. not surprisingly, mondays are stressful, weekends make people happy, but what we complain learn from this is how to inject some of that weekend state of mind into our 9:00 to 5:00 lives. we can have saturday on wednesday night, for example, have pancakes for dinner. >> reporter: before the dreaded monday morning arrives, make a list of things to do and decide when you'll do them. >> you don't have to get them done. you just have to tell your brain when you do it, and that will reduce a lot of anxiety. >> reporter: dr. carter says

we're happiest when we take multiple mini vacation rather than extended but fewer holidays. don't forget about mini breaks throughout the workday. experts say even a few minutes of walking or deep breaths of fresh air can do wonders. erica edwards, nbc news. i love breakfast for dinner, by the way. ij going to take a mini break right now. >> what is it about pancakes that makes people happy. >> it's just comfort food. >> i guess so. gentlemen ka bares her baby bump. also why a school is in hot water after conducting a

a new study from sweden finds that people who were more likely to get the same cancer as their parents if their parents were diagnosed at a young age. researchers say knowing this could encourage healthier choices in life to ward off cancer. a new study shows that some avoid taking drugs because of the way they look. they act the same as the brand-name counterparts. researchers say some patients who get generics are 50% more

likely to stop taking those generic drugs. a change in color was also a factor in. still ahead on news4, a school conducts a shooting drill. why the simulation is causing controversy. and the search for a

a pro-gun group organized the del trace. we look at the timing and necessity of the event. >> since the newtown shooting, many have been questioning what can be done to better protect children or prevent another mass shooting like the one we saw two weeks ago. when you want the police, it 20, 40 minutes away. he says people should be able to protect themselves. >> we're obviously vulnerable. we should feel safe. >> reporter: safety aside, some are taking issue with the timing of this event with whether it

was held too soon after the shooting. >> such a tragedy of such magnitude, it's hard to figure out what's right. others are uncomfortable with the ideas of guns or other violent weapons. >> i think it's very scary that it's come to that point. to question whether the simulation is an accurate representation of what could happen if you're armed during a shooting, simply because in today's case people knew what to expect. >> i think in real life you'll be caught a bit behind the curveball. >> several lawmakers are proposing gun control bills in response to the newtown shooting. breaking news. a tragedy tonight. we now know that ha county police officers has died in a fiery crash. >> here is a picture taken shortly after the crash.

the officer's motorcycle collided with a minivan while responding to a call. we're live at the scene in brings town. david? i'm going to step out of the way. you can see some of the activity. a lot of officers blocking off piper lane and noaksville road. we've learned a bit more about the officer who has died today. his name, chris young, he was 35 years old, he had been on the police force for seven years. what happened is a minivan that you can see in this video was trying to make a left turn went into the van.